Disclosed are an aqueous pigment dispersion and an aqueous ink for inkjet recording each of which includes a polymer (A), a pigment, and water. The polymer (A) has an anionic group, has a solubility in water of 0.1 g/100 mL or less and a number average molecular weight within the range of 1,000 to 6,000, and forms fine particles in water when the degree of neutralization of the anionic groups with the basic compound is 100%. Preferably, the polymer (A) is a polymer represented by general formula (1) (in formula (1), A1 represents an organic lithium initiator residue, A2 represents a polymer block of a monomer having an aromatic ring or a heterocycle, A3 is a polymer block containing an anionic group, n represents an integer of 1 to 5, and B represents an aromatic group or an alkyl group).